Like Velvet, Or Coffee
by steffclef13
Summary: There's a new café in town, and the barista is gorgeous. TheoxFeMC AU (sort of). Rated T to be safe, might get changed later.
1. Prologue - Sea of Souls

Hey everyone! This is my first attempt at something that's gonna be multi-chapter, and I'm going to try to get it updated weekly.

I got the idea reading Secret Takoyaki Boyfriend by **Azkas19**, where (SPOILERS) Theo mentions an alternate timeline where he could be a waiter at a café. The image of Theo serving coffee stuck to my mind, and here we are.

So, without further ado, I present to you **Like Velvet, Or Coffee**.

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><p><strong>oxo<strong>

**Prologue - Sea of Souls**

**oxo**

It was no small volume, this Persona Compendium. Theodore lightly slid a gloved finger along a crisp page, listening to the brush of fabric on paper.

"The Persona Compendium has grown heavy, has it not?"

Theodore raised his head, meeting the knowing eyes of his elder sister for a moment. He lowered his gaze back down to the book in his hands and feebly shook his head.

"It has always been the same—"

"But it is you who has changed." Margaret regarded him with an even gaze. "It is now heavier in your hands even though the pages have been emptied."

He slowly turned, took two deliberate steps towards the nearby table, and set the book down. Unwilling to drop his perfect attendant façade even in front of his sister, he remained with his back turned to her as he spoke softly.

"Dare I say it? Dare I even think it?" His low voice shook and his broad shoulders trembled. "Sister, I...I miss her terribly."

"Hush, dear brother." Margaret took three steps to him and placed a warm hand on his shoulder.

"A heart's a heavy burden, is it not?"

Margaret's eyes were soft and knowing.

"Yes, yes it is," she breathed. "Theo, my dear brother, allow me to—"

She caught herself just in time, and closed her mouth. She had seen it, known it for a while, and she wondered if what she was about to do would ease her brother's suffering, or aggravate it. But she knew, she understood him perfectly, and it was what she would have wanted had she been in his position.

"Yes, sister?"

"Allow me to provide you with...some thing that may lighten your load." She smiled at how formal she sounded.

"What do you mean?" Theo finally turned to look at her, and it saddened her to see his eyes, dry but darkened by agony. She forced herself to meet his pained gaze without flinching.

"But remember, whatever you see, whatever you hear, whatever you choose, I am not to be held accountable."

"I..." There was a moment of bewilderment, and then Theo's eyes cleared and his back straightened as understanding dawned on him.

"I chooseth this fate of mine own free will."

Margaret nodded, lifted her gloved hand off his shoulder, and began to walk towards a covered door. Theodore followed.

**oxo**

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><p>It's short, but Chap 1 is done, just polishing needed, so it should be up next week. :3<p>

Thanks in advance for your reviews!


	2. Chapter 1 - Welcome to the Velvet Room

I said I was going to post this Thursday, but since I work night shift I actually lost track of time and thought today was Thursday x_x lol.

Anyway here is Chap 1! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: The Persona Series belongs to Atlus.

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><p><strong>oxo<strong>

**I. Welcome to the Velvet Room**

**oxo**

"Thanks for your help today!"

"Don't mention it," she replied, smiling as she waved goodbye. "See you tomorrow, Saori-san!"

Helping out at Gekkoukan High's library usually meant a light work load, but new volumes needing archiving and a sudden influx of students checking out books made the afternoon a busy one. While being in the company of Saori-san made things a whole lot easier, she couldn't help wishing it had been one of those slow library days instead.

_'I wasn't able to do any homework at all_,' she complained silently, sighing as she walked out of the school gates. '_Better get home as soon as I can then.'_

Her phone buzzed to life just as she reached the train station. Slipping it out from her skirt pocket, she flipped it open and answered the call.

"Hi, Mom."

"Hi dear!" her mother's cheerful voice came in through the line. "I'm sorry, but your father and I are gonna be home late, work things and stuff again, you know? We should be back by dinner, but you don't need to wait up for us if we're not. Just order delivery or something?"

"Sure, Mom, you take care."

"You too! Love you, honey!" It wasn't the first time her parents would be out all day, and it would not be the last.

"Love you too, Mom."

Since both her parents worked she was no stranger to being left alone at home. It used to happen only occasionally—most nights of her childhood she had a bedtime story from whomever was home, usually her mother. Even when she grew too old for bedtime stories, she could at least see them come dinnertime, and Sundays they always spent together as a family.

Things changed when both parents' jobs suddenly required them to transfer to Tatsumi Port Island, jobs which now had them coming home late and even working extra hours on weekends. She had no difficulties making new friends, and she did understand that jobs were important, but she couldn't help feeling more than a little lonely saying "tadaima" to an empty house. Just thinking about it made her not want to come home yet.

_'Maybe I should have asked Saori-san to come with me to Chagall Cafe to unwind for a bit_,' she thought as she stepped out from the station. The evening darkness was quickly settling in now, and streetlights were beginning to switch on. Her feet started carrying her towards Paulownia Mall.

It was not unusual for her to spend her after-school at Chagall Cafe. In spite of it sitting right next to Club Escapade it was quiet, warm, and on weekdays not very crowded—ideal for doing homework.

She had just walked past the arcade when a soft light caught her eye, and it was not coming from the Be Blue V Healing Shop beside the cafe or the club. It seemed to radiate mutely from past the fountain, beyond the staircase. Curious, she moved closer.

In the narrow space at the end of the back alley, space she had always known to be empty—and besides, who would think to put anything there?—was a new cafe. Its heavy-looking wooden door was simple but seemed both elegant and homey at the same time—or did it just seem familiar? Beside the door there was only space for one large window, and through it she could see the cool light that had caught her eye shining from within. Nobody else seemed to have discovered the cafe yet, but she could see a man, tall and broad shouldered, fussing about behind the counter. Above the wooden door was a simple blue sign with an ornate key outlined in white and thin white letters announcing its name: "The Velvet Room".

Her curiosity was stronger than any loyalty she had to her favorite cafe, so she put a hand to the doorknob. The door opened easily, contrary to its heavy appearance, and she somewhat shyly stepped into the cafe.

Even though the first step she took was silenced by the soft blue carpet, the man at the counter turned as she entered. His gaze was enough to stop her in her tracks, but then he smiled politely, and she felt her heart skip a beat. Where had she seen him before?

"Good evening," he said with a slight bow. His voice was smooth and light, making her feel like someone qas running a finger lightly along her skin. "And welcome to the Velvet Room."

A gloved hand came up to rest on his chest, above his heart. The gesture reminded her strongly of a butler welcoming his master home. She thought it a bit much, considering the simple cafe setting, but the way he did it upped the atmosphere a few notches instead of making himself look ridiculous. Did she suddenly step into a film shooting?

"My name is Theodore, but please, feel free to call me Theo," the man continued.

"Good evening." She silently thanked whatever deity was watching over her that she did not stammer and make a fool of herself. She even managed a stiff smile.

His smile remained unchanged as with his other gloved hand he gestured towards the signboard menu on the counter. "How would you like your coffee this evening?"

She willed herself to place one foot after the other to walk towards him, until the only thing separating them was a wooden counter and a menu signboard. This close, she could see that he was neatly dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt and a simple brown apron, but there was something about the way he held his back straight and the way his platinum blond hair was slicked back that reminded her of a butler, or a bellhop at one of those five-star hotels in movies.

Aside from his flawless bearing and mature hairstyle, "easy on the eyes" would be an understatement when applied to him—it was just so easy to stare. His features were fine but distinctly masculine, and somehow every aspect of his face was perfectly balanced, not one part of it standing out from the rest.

_'Well, except maybe for those eyes_,' she thought.

His eyes were a clear, light hazel, almost amber, and sometimes when the light hit them just right she imagined they turned golden. Those eyes regarded her curiously as she ogled. She was sure she had never seen such brilliant eyes before.

So why did he feel so familiar?

Her assessment only took her a second, but when her eyes met his she saw him open his mouth to speak, and she knew she had to beat him to it.

"I'll just have a, uh," She took a quick glance at the menu and read the first thing she saw. "The café au lait, please."

He nodded. "One café au lait, coming up." The French phrase rolled gracefully off his tongue. "Please have a seat, and let me know if there's anything you would like to add."

She nodded, and he turned away from her to start tinkering with the paraphernalia behind him. She chose a seat by the window, and looked around.

It was a cozy little place, the Velvet Room. It seemed to have been modeled after one of those old European taverns, except with coffee instead of alcohol. The wooden walls were mostly lined with shelves full of either little ceramic statuettes or a variety of containers of coffee: cans, bags, tin boxes. Every now and then there would also be a statuette of some figure of mythology and fiction—she thought she could recognize Cerberus, the three-headed dog of Hades; Thor, complete with his Viking helmet and hammer; and what must have been Oberon and Titania of Shakespearean fame, a king and a queen with fairy wings. The tables were made of wood so dark they almost looked black in color, but glossy smooth and graceful, and all the chairs accompanying them were cushioned. The floor, as she had previously noticed, was covered by a deep blue carpet, keeping her footsteps noiseless. Soft classical music played from somewhere above and behind her—there must be some speakers hidden among the figurines and bags of coffee as well. At the moment it sounded like a string quartet, playing something light but not brisk. Though the place must have been new the coffee aroma was thick in the air—she guessed she'd be smelling of coffee for the rest of the night. It was altogether a relaxed, almost languid ambiance.

And then there was Theodore. She couldn't help watching his broad shoulders tip and move as he worked on her order.

_'It's not polite to stare_,' she scolded herself, tearing her eyes away from him. She frowned and started fiddling with the little ceramic pots on the table. They were filled with cream and sugar.

"Excuse me." Theodore's voice broke through her thoughts. She jumped to hear him so suddenly near her, and as she looked up at him she guessed the shock on her face must have been evident, for he furrowed his brows—such a smooth forehead!—and took half a step back.

"Oh, I do apologize," he said, his tone rather rueful. "I had not meant to startle you. I was delivering your café au lait." He gently and noiselessly laid her cup of coffee on a saucer in front of her and followed it with another saucer containing a slice of cake and a dessert fork.

"I-it's alright, it's the carpet," she vaguely explained with a sheepish chuckle. "But there must be some mistake, I didn't order any cake."

Theodore smiled his polite smile. "This is no mistake. Allow me to present to you the perfect complement to your café au lait, our house specialty: the Blue Velvet cake. As this is your first time here, I ask you to accept this gift as our way of welcoming you."

"Oh, that's very kind of you. Thank you," she managed.

He nodded. "Please enjoy your stay." And with that, he turned and started walking—again, noiselessly—back to his place behind the counter.

The Blue Velvet was a chiffon cake in two layers, with blueberry jam and a thick vanilla cream in between. The chiffon itself was a deep, purplish blue, more like indigo. The icing was white, beautifully accentuating the blue, and the slice was topped with chilled blueberries and sprinkled with white chocolate shavings. Her coffee was creamy enough but just a little too bitter for her taste, something she easily fixed with some of the sugar on the table.

She did her homework as she drank her coffee and ate her cake. As the evening wore on two or three more customers came and went, but it seemed that word of the Velvet Room hadn't quite gone around yet.

Once she finished her coffee and cake, along with a good amount of homework, she decided she should just finish the rest at home.

'_Shouldn't be out too late_,' she sighed to herself.

She left her payment and a little tip on the table, picked up her bag, and stood up. When she got to the door, she heard his velvety voice.

"Have a good night, and please do visit us again."

At that, she had to turn her head, and their eyes met. She found herself returning his smile.

"I will, thank you!" And with that, she pushed open the door and stepped out into the cool evening.

_It looks like I have a new favorite cafe._

**oxo**

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><p>Well, there you have it, Chapter 1. I tend to tunnel vision pretty hard when I play P3P (meaning I can see nothing and no one but Theo and the rest goes by in a blur ) so there will probably be inconsistencies and inaccuracies (geography, for instance). When you spot them please let me know in the reviews so I can fix them.<p>

I want to try and leave the Female Protagonist unnamed, but writing a nameless main character is going to be a challenge and I wonder if I am up to it. Also I couldn't choose between the many names she's been given through the fandom, and Atlus is no help either—apparently Atlus likes to play with the fans, not giving us just one canon name -_-; So...any suggestions? ^^;

That will be all for now. I'll still try squeezing out Chap 2 in time for next week, but I have a fanfiction contest I want to try to join (it's Pewdiepie's :D *hides*) so I'm not sure I can. I will try though ^^;

Thanks in advance for your reviews!


	3. Chapter 2 - Paulownia Mall

Hey everyone! So sorry this was late, I did try to stick to my sched. As it is I don't think I can dish out Chap 3 this Friday—so many things I need to figure out (see end notes).

Anyway, here is **Chap 2: Paulownia Mall**. Please enjoy!

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><p><strong>oxo<strong>

**II. Paulownia Mall**

**oxo**

"So, you free after school?"

"Sorry, what was that?" She blinked her brown eyes at her friend.

"Seriously," Yukari sighed and rolled her eyes. "You haven't been listening to a single word I've been saying, have you?"

"Sorry, Yuka," she apologized, sheepish. "I was thinking—"

"Yeah, yeah, I know you were," Yukari cut her off, waving a hand dismissively in her friend's direction. "Really, if I didn't know you were already involved with the tennis club, the Library Committee, AND the Student Council I'd think you were having boy problems." She pouted. Her classmate opened her mouth to protest, but Yukari was faster.

"I was asking you if you were free after school or if you had other important stuff planned," she continued. "There's this new cafe at Paulownia Mall and I wanna try it."

"New cafe?" Her brown-haired friend could only think of one.

"Yeah, and Fuuka-san says their Blue Velvet cake is just divine."

"Their what?" she said.

'Oh no,' she thought.

For the past couple of weeks she had made it her habit to come to the Velvet Room and do her homework there, sneaking glances at Theodore whenever she could. He had even begun to be a bit friendly with her, asking her how her day was and even once helping out with homework...

xxx

"Is there anything I can do to help?" His soft voice broke into her muddled thoughts.

"Hmm? Oh, Theo." She looked up to see him standing by her table, an empty tray in gloved hand and a polite smile on his lips. She sighed and straightened up, realizing she had been hunched over her books.

"Is it that obvious I'm not having a good time?" She gave a small chuckle, slightly embarrassed.

"Well, if you don't mind my saying so, you looked rather perplexed just now. Normally you relax during the course of your visit even if you always come with homework, so naturally I was worried," he explained.

_Wait a minute. He had been watching me?_ She felt warmth rise in her cheeks.

"Uhm, well..." She gestured to her open notebook. To her surprise, he sat on the seat across from her, placing the tray on the table but away from her books. Then he held out a gloved hand.

"May I?" He smiled confidently but still politely.

"S-sure." She handed him the notebook, suddenly feeling conscious of her handwriting.

"Hmm." He looked over her notes, flipped a page, then flipped it back again.

"Look here," he finally said, turning the notebook around and pushing it towards her so she could see. He leaned forward as well and indicated one of her equations with a finger. The coffee fragrance which hung in the air seemed to intensify.

"This is where you need to—"

xxx

"HELLO~!" Yukari was waving a hand in her face.

"Oh, sorry again!" This time the brunette accompanied her apology with a bow, hands clasped together. Yukari just shook her head.

"You definitely need to unwind. That's it, club activities or no, you and I are going to the Velvet Room after school."

"But Yuka—"

"I won't take no for an answer!" her energetic friend insisted, winking.

She bit her lip, her brain scrambling for an excuse, any excuse, when the bell rang to signal the end of lunch, and she and Yukari had to hurry to their classroom.

It wasn't that she didn't like Yukari. Her closest friend was not like those Akihiko fan girls, so it wasn't likely she'd turn into a Theo worshiper. So why this urge to keep Theo a secret?

She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, as if to shake free of her weird thoughts. _That's not important right now, I'll think about it later. Right now I have to pay attention in case Ekoda-sensei randomly calls me to recite again._

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><p><em>How could I have forgotten that Yukari's idea of "unwinding" included a shopping spree?<em>

She wasn't complaining, just shaking her head, amused as her friend again emerged from the fitting room in yet another outfit. Since the Velvet Room was only open evening to early morning, Yukari had decided that a trip around Paulownia Mall's boutiques was the best way to spend the time waiting until then. Our heroine had to admit she was enjoying herself too—she now had a new red scarf and a warm plaid skirt to add to her closet. Yukari was not as easily satisfied, however, but it was rather fun watching her hold her own mini fashion show at the boutique.

"Ugh, I can't decide!" Yukari groaned with such agony in her voice her companion couldn't help smiling a bit wider. "The red one is just so mature and sexy without being revealing or loud, but this pink one is just too adorable! What's a girl to do?"

She was about to offer her input when her stomach growled, and quite loudly too. Blushing, she looked up at Yukari, who giggled.

"Sorry, I got caught up again," she apologized brightly. "You go on ahead and grab something while I make up my mind, just shoot me a text when the cafe opens and I'll follow, okay?"

"Sounds good," she agreed, nodding and standing up with her bags. "I know you're gonna do it anyway, but take your time." She chuckled. Yukari stuck out her tongue at her friend.

"In any case, I think you should go for the pink one, unless you plan on making Junpei's jaw drop with the red," was her last remark before she made her escape.

She was giggling at the look of outrage and disgust on Yukari's face as she practically ran out, and did not see the broad chest which she collided with in the next moment.

There was a yelp from her and a low "oof" from the broad chest and then she was falling—

A gloved hand shot out to grab her arm before she could completely lose her balance, and the person she had bumped into pulled her back onto her feet. She looked up to see worried hazel eyes, blonde brows furrowed on an otherwise smooth forehead.

"I'm terribly sorry, are you alright?" Theodore asked.

"Theo!" she exclaimed, instantly forgetting her close call.

"Oh, well if it isn't my favourite guest." Theo smiled his polite smile, releasing her arm. "So nice to, er, bump into you this afternoon." He chuckled at his own joke.

"Oh no, the pleasure is mine!" She said with a laugh, trying very hard to not focus on the fact that he had just said she was his favourite something.

"I hope I didn't hurt you?" She smiled sheepishly. He shook his head, but there was regret on his face as he looked at something on the ground.

"Well, not me specifically, but I think I'll have to make another trip to Iwatodai." She followed his eyes and saw on the ground three takoyaki balls on a stick, one of them half eaten.

"...takoyaki?" She could not reconcile the image of polite, straight-backed Theodore of the Velvet Room eating takoyaki on a stick. Theodore looked up, saw her incredulous expression, and made a face that reminded her of a scolded puppy.

"Is it that strange?"

"N-not really," she answered hesitantly. "It just...didn't seem like the type of food you would like."

"Hmm. I see," he said, but the quizzical look on his face said that he did not. Then he carefully picked up the stick of takoyaki and dropped it into the nearest waste bin.

"Sorry about the, er, that," she continued after an awkward moment.

"I'd say the blame is more mine than yours," he said with a sheepish chuckle, showing her the three bags in his right hand. "It might have made more sense to release my bags instead of dropping the takoyaki, but I was completely caught off guard."

"Still, I wanna make it up to you," she insisted. "Listen, I was going to get something to eat anyway, wanna go back to get some more? My treat."

Theodore shook his head, the polite smile on his lips widening the tiniest bit. "I appreciate your offer, I truly do, but aside from it being unbecoming of a gentleman—"and here he winked—"to let my guest make up for something that clearly was not her fault, it is almost time for the Velvet Room to open and duty demands that I go and make the necessary preparations."

"However," he continued when he saw the look of disappointment on her face. "Allow me to counter your invitation with one of my own. If you don't mind sitting alone while I work, we do have a fine array of pastries to choose from, many of which would help calm your appetite."

"But your takoyaki..." She insisted halfheartedly. Tempting as his offer was, for some reason she could not understand herself she felt extremely sad about the takoyaki. They had looked so forlorn on the ground. He sighed and shook his head, but he was still smiling.

"Alright, if it will ease your worry, would you mind going to get takoyaki with me some other day? Then I'll allow you to treat me."

She blinked. _Did he just sort of ask me out?_

When she didn't respond immediately, he continued, his face still somehow carefully polite and confident. "And, since I hear_ 'Innocent Sin'_ has been garnering good reviews from movie critics, I am inclined to go see it myself. Would you mind accompanying me then as well?"

_Definitely asking me out._

"I don't mind at all," she heard herself say.

"Good!" She thought she heard the word exhaled more than spoken, like he had been holding his breath. Then he stepped closer to her and held out his bent arm. She looked at him questioningly, wide-eyed.

"Come now, after accepting that offer you aren't refusing my invitation to the Velvet Room, are you?" he teased, the light in his eyes dancing.

"Oh, no, I'm not." She shyly slipped her hand onto the crook of his arm. A warm scent that reminded her mostly of fresh mornings and vaguely of coffee wafted onto her as she got closer to him.

"I just haven't had anyone offer me his arm before. It's like we're in a movie."

"Well, shall we pretend to be knight and lady then?" he smoothly offered, giving her a sideways glance. It looked rather roguish, coupled with the way he tilted his head towards her, a few strands of his hair falling with the motion. Feeling her face grow even warmer, she just chuckled in reply as they began to walk.

It wasn't a very long trip, but Theodore continued their conversation, asking her how her day went and such. She asked her own questions in turn, learning that he had come to Paulownia early to do some last-minute grocery shopping, hence the three bags he carried. As they walked and talked, she gave her favourite barista a once-over.

He was wearing a deep blue, long sleeved shirt this time, the color complimenting his pale skin and making his eyes seem lighter than they were. Under his collar was a black necktie, but it was knotted rather loosely—something she thought surprising, as she would have expected him to be the kind of man who made sure to neatly tie his ties, maybe even in a complicated style like the eldredge or the trinity knot. The haphazard way he had tied it, along with the two undone buttons of his shirt, put a rather rakish air to him in spite of his usual polite demeanor.

Once they got to the heavy wooden door, Theodore unhooked her hand from his arm so he could fish for the key in his pocket. She was pleasantly surprised to find that, while the key's head itself was a shiny silver, the stem and bow were covered in a deep blue velvet.

"Lovely little thing, isn't it?" Theodore remarked as he unlocked the door with a soft click. She nodded.

"Please wait a moment while I light the place," he told her, as with long strides he entered and walked across the room. He flicked a switch on the wall, and the mini-chandeliers overhead lit up warmly. He was back at her side in a flash, holding the door open. With a slight bow and a playful sparkle in his eyes, he then said his customary greeting.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room."

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><p>She collapsed onto her bed and sighed happily. Sure, Yukari's eyes had gleamed furiously as if she had a raging fever, but thankfully her friend was not the type of high school girl who gushed and giggled conspicuously. She managed to keep her voice down to a whisper as she riddled the brunette with questions: how they knew each other, when she had discovered the cafe, and why oh why she had not told her best friend about it. She had of course been captive audience to that little scene from inside the boutique, but was smart enough to know that her interference would not have been welcome. They stayed until it was almost dinnertime and Yukari had to be home.<p>

"Before my mom starts flooding me with texts," she had explained, rolling her eyes. "She had once sent me more than thirty 'wher r u' messages, and I had to actually take time to sit down and delete every single one of them."

A steady buzzing roused her from her thoughts. She held her phone up, blocking the ceiling light with it, and squinted at the message.

"Is Sunday a convenient time for takoyaki and '_Innocent Sin_'?" She smiled as she read the message. She could almost hear his cool, gentle voice saying the words. Her slim fingers quickly tapped a reply.

"Sure, I'll see you after lunch."

**oxo**

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><p>I've discovered something about these characters that I should have known all along: change a bit of their background and their persona-lities (hah see what I did there? :D) change too. Since in this AU there are no such things as Personas, FeMC's parents are still there, and she didn't need to dorm. As a result, her "Social Links" are not what we are used to. I mean, how the heck am I going to justify her knowing the senpai group? D: (Rhetorical question, don't answer that)<p>

So lemme just mull it over. In the meantime, can anyone guess the trend in chapter names?

Here's a clue:  
><strong>Chapter 3: Iwatodai Station<strong>

;D


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